ojdla 25 year est. 1998 logo

The Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration is a peer-reviewed electronic journal offered free each quarter. The journal welcomes manuscripts based on the original work of practitioners and researchers with specific focus or implications for the management of distance education programs.


Spring 2024 - Volume 27, Issue 1

The Impact of Remote Online Proctoring versus No Proctoring: A Study of Graduate Courses

Headshot of Jill Oeding
Jill Oeding
Headshot of Theresa Gunn
Theresa Gunn
Headshot of Aleisha Jones
Aleisha Jones

This quantitative study is designed to determine the impact of online proctoring software in graduate courses. The researchers compared the final grades of two groups of online graduate students who were taught by professors who had online exams before and after the university implemented…

Guiding Undergraduate Researchers in the Virtual World: Mentoring Experiences of Globally Distributed Students

Headshot of Emily Faulconer
Emily Faulconer
Headshot of Brent Terwilliger
Brent Terwilliger
Headshot of Robert Deters
Robert Deters
Headshot of Kelly George
Kelly George

The advancement of technology has led to an increase in undergraduate students pursuing degrees online. The translation of undergraduate research to the online environment is relatively new, though gaining momentum, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mentoring is a key undergraduate research…

Review of India’s UGC guidelines on Online Degree Courses

Headshot of H. Srimathi
H. Srimathi
Headshot of A. Krishnamoorthy
A. Krishnamoorthy

The higher education system of India is one of the largest systems on the globe, where there is a huge young population. The central government aims to increase the higher education gross enrolment ratio, which will improve the living and economic standards of youth. However, enrolment in higher…

Validating Outcome Mapping Using External Benchmarking

Headshot of Dr. Shane Kelley
Dr. Shane Kelley

Curriculum mapping can be used to visualize, align, and assess the ability of online degree program graduates to meet stated learning outcomes (Rawle et al., 2017). Though consensus has yet to be established on standardized outcomes for curriculum in some disciplines (e.g., criminal justice),…

From the Editor

Headshot of editor

One of our fabulous articles in this edition of the OJDLA presents research related to online proctored examinations. This is certainly one of the many controversial topics related to distance education and its administration. The authors provide an in-depth review of relevant research and also present their own findings that students sometimes score significantly higher on exams when a course is not proctored. The implication appears to be that students are more prone to cheat if they aren't being watched.

Once again, I'm a little concerned we are asking the wrong questions. In a world in which information is at our fingertips, why do we still design exams that rely on memorization? It's difficult to shift out mindsets, but I do know that it is much easier to design and grade simplistic questions than it is to think about assessments more creatively. Now, there is a value in simple questions, and I think they are particularly useful in online quizzes. When students complete such low-stake quizzes, allowing books or notes (and multiple chances) actually becomes part of the learning process. Think of it more like homework even though we call it a "quiz."

On another note, how many of you have actually taken a remotely-proctored exam? I know from experience as an administrator what a nerve-wracking experience this can be. Issues include not only student angst in such an environment, but technical problems and low skill sets by some proctors. I've seen cases where students have had to wait for hours to start their exam. So, remote proctored exams do help address some fundamental issues, but they aren't the divine answer to assessment in my view.

Of course, it's important to ensure that our nurses and chemists and educators can prove that they know what they're doing before we let them pass the finish line. But must we assume the worst? Can we create an environment that feels more like a faculty-student partnership and a steep but wonderful journey up a beautiful mountain?

We'll discuss this and so much more at DLA2024 in Jekyll Island in July. Registration is open now and I'd love to see you again this year.

Best wishes for a glorious spring,

Melanie

Melanie N. Clay

OJDLA Editor-in-Chief

March 22, 2024